§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has carried out or commissioned in relation to minimising light pollution; what information his Department has on the use in Spain of lighting designed to restrict light shining skywards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI have been asked to reply.
My Department is participating in the work of the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) to provide international guidelines to minimise light pollution from road lighting. The CIE is also considering light pollution from other sources of external light. We have no information on specific lighting schemes in Spain.
Practices are being developed to curb light pollution as far as possible. Guidance will be published this year on the environmental aspects of good lighting practice; this will be followed by .the Department on its trunk roads, and I hope other highway authorities will do the same. Designs to minimise light pollution will be used whenever lighting is being planned for trunk roads in rural areas. Research has been commissioned into lighting at rural roundabouts to minimise light pollution.